Back to School 2014: The 10 best tablets

The Nexus 7 remains something of a golden standard when it comes to budget tablets, with a great display and good performance despite a modest price. If you want to keep things cheap and prefer the Android ecosystem to the iPad’s, the Nexus 7 is definitely the way to go.

Amazon layers plenty of its own features over the traditional Android software on the Fire HDX, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. You get on-demand customer service with the Mayday button, and Second Screen lets you watch tablet-based content on your TV. You'll have to sideload Android apps, since the HDX doesn't come with Google Play store access.

The Android-powered MeMO Pad 7 may not have the name recognition of the Nexus 7 (also an ASUS-made device, by the way), but its value speaks for itself. The display may have a modest 1,280 x 800 resolution, but it’s crisp and bright, and the battery can see you through almost 10 hours of use. Just don't expect great images from the cameras or any real gaming chops — this is a sub-$200 tablet after all.

Here’s something for the Windows users in the room. With a slightly bulky, ho-hum design, Acer’s 8-incher isn’t an overachiever, but you’ll find a solid display along with decent everyday performance. The Iconia W4 does impress on the battery life front, with a runtime just short of 10 hours.

The Lumia 2520 is one of several tablets in this guide that attempt to pinch-hit as a laptop. And like its fellow ambitious slates, this device falls short — the typing experience isn’t quite good enough. That said, if you want a tablet for watching movies, taking decent photos and enjoying music and maps offline, this is a strong option. One fact that may dissuade budget-conscious college students: There’s no WiFi-only option, so you’ll be paying for data.

If you want to bring an iPad along to school and it’s a toss-up between the Air and the mini, we’d probably sway you in the direction of the mini. It’s less expensive, for one thing, and the 7.9-inch Retina display still gives you plenty of screen real estate to enjoy apps, videos and more.

For students who want an ultraportable tablet that can see them through lectures and even some essay-writing, the T100 is a prime pick. The 10-inch Windows slate comes bundled with a keyboard dock — quite the value, considering most companies sell these as separate accessories — and performance is strong enough to handle some lightweight desktop apps. Don’t ditch your laptop or anything, though; the hardware keyboard is better than nothing, but it’s still far from perfect.

Want a tablet that won’t weigh down your backpack? Okay with the 9.7-inch screen size, and — most importantly — down with Apple’s OS? The iPad Air is your guy. True, this slate isn’t cheap, and the inevitable iPad refresh is likely just a few months away, but the Air’s comfortable design and solid performance could be worth the cost depending on your needs.

There are a handful of high-end Android tablets worthy of your consideration, but Sony’s Xperia Z2 will appeal especially to those who want a clean software experience. Unlike offerings from Samsung and others, this slate keeps UI modifications to a minimum, with just a smattering of entertainment apps to remind you of Sony’s media prowess. Bonus: The Z2 is waterproof, though probably not beer-proof.

In theory, at least, Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 can pull double duty as both a tablet and a laptop, but we’d recommend nabbing a machine with a better keyboard for writing term papers. Whether you choose to use the Pro 3 as a slate or as a do-it-all device, though, you’ll love the thin and light design, which includes a versatile kickstand.